"Hey!"
"Ho!"...
Another morning had just passed the hour of the dragon. Within the Wang Family Courtyard, Li Dingguo, Ai Nengqi, and more than a dozen other gifted youths wore tense little faces as they earnestly practiced the foundational body-tempering martial art, Tiger Roar Fist.
Zhang Xianzhong, as always, had taken precious time to personally instruct them on site.
"Ah!"
At that moment, Ai Nengqi, not far from Li Dingguo, suddenly let out a great roar. His fist technique abruptly changed, and every movement of his fists produced explosive cracks!
"Th-this means Ai Nengqi has mastered the basics of Tiger Roar Fist, awakened his Qi and Blood Power, and broken through to become a Martial Artist?"
Li Dingguo hurriedly turned to look, unable to keep from marveling inwardly.
Well, in truth, Li Dingguo himself had felt on the verge of a breakthrough when he rose early that morning. Yet he had forcibly suppressed the surging boil of his own qi and blood.
Only the wearer knew where the shoe pinched.
He had too many secrets. To avoid drawing unnecessary trouble, he could not act too abnormally. There was no need to steal the limelight; it was never wrong to play it safe.
His cultivation was progressing so quickly now most likely because he had lived two lives. His Mental Energy far surpassed Ai Nengqi's, greatly enhancing his comprehension.
Otherwise, the original owner of this body had been just a shade inferior to Ai Nengqi in martial talent.
After all, in the history of his previous life, Ai Nengqi had possessed the greatest martial strength under Zhang Xianzhong.
Li Dingguo came next, followed by Sun Kewang and Liu Wenxiu.
Of course, when it came to being equally accomplished in civil and martial pursuits, Li Dingguo had been the undisputed number one under the Eight Great Kings, Zhang Xianzhong, in the history of his previous life.
After seeing Ai Nengqi successfully break through and become a Martial Artist, the other dozen or so youths were all consumed by envy and jealousy.
"It's time to release the overflowing qi and blood I've been suppressing and break through to become a Martial Artist."
"Otherwise, one step behind means every step behind. That would be detrimental to my future martial cultivation."
Li Dingguo considered it briefly and made his decision. He no longer bitterly suppressed his qi and blood, instead beginning his all-out breakthrough!
As he practiced Tiger Roar Fist, he felt the qi and blood within him, already filled to the absolute limit, begin to boil rapidly!
Threads of Qi and Blood Power seemed to spring from nothing, gradually flowing through every part of his body!
All at once, he felt his physique surge explosively. Like Ai Nengqi, the strength and speed behind every move of the Tiger Roar Fist he was practicing rapidly increased, and the wind from his fists began to explode with "whoosh, whoosh" sounds!
Yet he had not expected that, at this moment, streams of cool air would suddenly emerge from the depths of his mind and instantly circulate throughout his body!
As those cool currents flowed, his entire body turned pleasantly warm. Both his physique and the qi and blood that had just surged explosively began increasing at a tremendous pace once more!
At the same time, all kinds of impurities gradually seeped from the surface of his skin, forming a layer of greasy filth that stank to high heaven!
Li Dingguo could clearly feel that his mind had suddenly become exceptionally lucid. His Mental Energy must have begun soaring as well!
"Qi and Blood Limit Break?"
"Marrow Cleansing and Tendon Transformation?"
Amid his delight and surprise, Li Dingguo immediately recalled what Zhang Xianzhong had said just yesterday, and was instantly overjoyed beyond measure!
"Hahaha..."
"Good, good, good..."
At this moment, Zhang Xianzhong, who had been observing from the sidelines, had already used his formidable Mental Energy to discover that Li Dingguo and Ai Nengqi had broken through almost simultaneously—and that both had successfully surpassed the limits of their qi and blood!
Unable to contain his joy, he burst into hearty laughter!
The martial talents of Li Dingguo and Ai Nengqi, these two monstrous youths, were even better than he had originally imagined!
He had initially estimated that it would take at least seven days for the two of them to break through and become Martial Artists.
Yet with the abundant cultivation resources he had provided and his personal guidance, Li Dingguo and Ai Nengqi, these two little fellows, had succeeded in breaking through almost at the same time after merely six days.
Even more delightfully, as they entered the initial Martial Artist realm, both their innate potential had erupted. Both had achieved a Qi and Blood Limit Break and undergone Marrow Cleansing and Tendon Transformation, raising their martial aptitude to another level!
Without a doubt, they were the legendary Peerless Prodigies!
While overflowing with delight, he wondered whether he should take the two of them as adopted sons right now.
But Li Dingguo and these gifted youths had only just begun receiving intensive training. If he acted too hastily, it would be detrimental to their growth.
In any case, they would remain beneath his watchful eye at all times from now on, so there was no need to worry about them running away or anything of the sort.
No hurry. He would wait until he had dealt with the imminent encirclement and suppression by the imperial army and led the Rebel Army under his command to settle down once more.
Moreover, this would be a perfect opportunity to observe the fortune of these two Peerless Prodigies.
He knew some of the hidden secrets of heaven and earth.
Even Peerless Prodigies could not travel far if their fortune was poor and ill luck clung to them.
Throughout every dynasty and generation, there had been countless gifted youths who, due to insufficient fortune, had tragically fallen before they could even mature.
If Zhang Xianzhong wanted to entrust them with important duties, it would be best to observe them for a while longer.
Besides, dealing with the imminent encirclement and suppression by the imperial army was the most pressing matter at hand.
If this Rebel Army of his could not survive this trial, then he should stop dreaming of changing dynasties and replacing rulers. He might as well wash up and go to sleep early.
"Li Dingguo, Ai Nengqi!"
"You two little fellows, congratulations! From today onward, you are Martial Artists!"
"Come over here, quickly!"
He beckoned to Li Dingguo and Ai Nengqi in turn. Once they ran over to him with delighted faces, he laughed as he scolded them, "Look at how happy you are! Feels great, doesn't it?"
"First, go back to the bathing room at your quarters in the inner courtyard and wash yourselves clean before returning!"
Looking at Li Dingguo and Ai Nengqi, their faces brimming with delight, he waved his hand and said, "When you return later, I will teach you two genuine Divine Techniques and Marvelous Methods."
After saying this, he watched the two gifted youths turn and hurried away in embarrassment, unable to suppress the smile on his face!
It could not be helped. He had encountered great joy after great joy these past two days. How could he not be happy?
The painful shortcoming that had troubled him most—the severe lack of capable people in his Rebel Army—would be alleviated to a certain extent with the arrival of Zhang Kewang and the growth of gifted youths such as Li Dingguo and Ai Nengqi.
As long as he led this Rebel Army through the difficult first few years of its development, the future would be bright.
When that time came, even if he could not temporarily overthrow the imperial court, he could still find a way to establish himself as king in some remote region.
The greatest shackle of all—his Rebel Army's shortage of talented people—would gradually be thoroughly eased through his arrangements.
The appearance of Ai Nengqi and Li Dingguo, these two Peerless Prodigies in particular, delighted him immensely.
"Hmm, the innate talents of those two monstrous geniuses, Liu Wenxiu and Zhang Huier, should not be much inferior to Li Dingguo and Ai Nengqi's."
Having calmed down, Zhang Xianzhong turned his gaze toward Liu Wenxiu and Zhang Huier before him and thought to himself.
With his formidable Mental Energy and cultivation experience, he naturally would not be mistaken.
Liu Wenxiu and Zhang Huier were still diligently practicing Tiger Roar Fist in the training ground. Perhaps stimulated by Li Dingguo and Ai Nengqi, they appeared to be working even harder.
Presumably, by this afternoon or tomorrow, the two of them should also be able to smoothly break through and become Martial Artists.
Zhang Xianzhong was full of anticipation for this.
Before you continue